Bolonia Grimes moved swiftly around the kitchen, holding a tray of glasses and cordial.
"Here you go, boys!"
Damian wasn't sure how to respond to the over-enthusiastic guardian, who hadn't been put off by his sudden return and the talk over the kitchen table.
"Thanks, Auntie B!" Chuck said as he poured himself a drink.
"Thanks, Ma!"
Bolonia hugged Morgan around the shoulders. "Anything for my boys. Let me know if you need anything else."
"Are mothers meant to be like that?" Damian questioned in confusion. He had very little experience in this area.
Chuck shrugged. "I don't know. Auntie B has been like that the whole time we've known her though. She did leave us with a foster family though so maybe she feels guilty?"
"Nah," Morgan responded. "She's been like for as long as I remember. Even back before Chuck ended up on the streets."
"As much as I want to hear that story-" because he knew it was the story of how Billy and Freddy came to be, "we're here to talk about the bombshell my family dropped on you two." And not how Chuck and Morgan had apparently known each other before Billy and Freddy.
"The spy thing is awesome!" Morgan decreed. "Can I join you in working for the CIA?"
"Morgan, that sounds dangerous," Chuck said, just barely remembering that he's supposed to act like this is new to him as well and not something he's mixed up in.
"It is dangerous. They don't care if you live or die and your magic would make you a target for the hardest missions."
"But helping people...?"
"The CIA does that on a boarder range. What you are often faced with is hurting a few people to save a lot. It sucks." Morgan didn't seem convinced. "Okay, so here's an example. I'm actually also a known criminal.
The CIA had me create a security scare by forging what can't be forged."
"If it can't be forged, how do you forge it?"
"There's a reason I'm the best," Damian responded. "My point is, do you think I saved anyone doing that?"
Morgan shrugged but seemed to be getting it.
"Besides, what would Chuck do if you started running around for 'the Man'?"
Chuck blinked like a deer caught in the headlights. "What?"
"Okay! Okay! I get it! I'd really rather not be creating moon landings and the like."
As someone who had been in space a number of times, Damian was rather insulted that Morgan was implying that the moon landing was fake. Wasn't the Shazam family able to fly into space with no problem? However, he was willing to ignore that because Morgan was beginning to understand why he shouldn't join the CIA.
Chuck didn't have the same reservation. "Morgan. We've flown into space before. Do you really believe people didn't land on the moon?"
"It could be fake."
"Morgan. Do you need to go check the moon?"
Morgan huffed. "Okay, bad example."
"Very bad."
Damian tried not to laugh. He didn't fully understand why this was funny but it was interesting to see the two interact outside of costume about costume things.
It was ridiculously easy to break into CIA offices when you were also a part of the CIA. Bryce was no longer impressed by the way Fulcurm knew everything going on in the CIA. With just one agent planted here, any group could learn whatever they wanted.
Bryce was even able to answer his phone as he looked at government secrets.
"So Bryce, I assume you go on spy missions for the CIA...?"
Bryce sighed. He had no clue where Morgan was going with this, however he knew enough to know that this line of questioning wasn't going to end well for him. "I do. Why?"
"When's the next one?"
"No clue," he lied.
"Can I join?" And that's why he had lied.
"How am I supposed to explain the civilian who has knowledge of my mission."
"I won't come as a civilian then."
It took Bryce a moment to realise what Morgan was saying he would do. "No. I can't include a superhero in my mission. That's even more difficult to explain."
Morgan sighed. "But I want to join the CIA. Even for a mission. Come on."
"No. But how about we go and fight crime tonight instead?" He could probably make it to Burbank by nightfall. Or maybe they could meet in a city halfway.
Morgan eagerly agreed. Bryce extracted some details from him and then returned to his job. He took down the direct contact details for General Diane Beckman, just in case he needed to contact the NSA. He already knew how to get to Langston Graham, the director of the CIA and the other brain behind the formation of Chuck's team. However, Director Graham put enough faith in Sarah that Bryce would just have to face her to achieve any goals related to the CIA.
No matter how much he didn't want to face Sarah. There was a lot he had left unexplained that she would want answers to.
Chuck was a nervous wreck after almost having to leave without warning because of the CIA. He couldn't go to Morgan or Ellie about this since they didn't know about his involvement with the CIA. Morgan knew about Bryce's but, since Morgan couldn't stop bringing up going on a CIA mission to Bryce, they had decided they weren't going to tell him about the CIA base under to Buy More that Chuck used and Chuck's involvement.
"Chuck!" There was a rap at his window. "Chuck!"
"Bryce?"
Bryce climbed in the moment Chuck opened the window. He was frowning as he looked him over.
"Are you okay?"
"Huh, yeah?" Sure it was a lie but Chuck was certain Bryce wouldn't want to hear about how he didn't want to leave his family.
"What about the extraction order? Did Sarah not tell you?"
Chuck couldn't help laughing as his worry lifted. He had forgotten that Bryce didn't fully trust the CIA. "You're spying on me?"
"Of course I'm spying on you! I promised to look after you! If you're worried about the extraction order, I can help you escape."
"It's fine! The order has been rescinded." Chuck sat down on his computer chair and Bryce took the bed. "Although that doesn't help for next time. Hopefully there won't be a next time."
Bryce sighed. "Chuck, you can't rely on hope. We need to make some plans for when this happens again."
When, not if. Did Bryce really think it was inevitable? "Do you really think this'll happen again?"
Bryce gave him a look which said 'are you stupid?'. It was a look Damian had been known for but it was not a look Chuck could remember seeing on Bryce during their college days.
"Chuck, Fulcrum is looking for the intersect. It's their main goal. And you have it. Are you telling me you really don't think they'll find you again?"
Chuck couldn't answer that. "I guess we'll need a plan then," he sighed.
"Good. Something that doesn't involve that word of yours."
"What?"
"There's no guarantee that you'll be able to speak-"
"Do you really think criminals haven't tried that before?" Chuck demanded to know. "I've been gagged many times during my life- and that sentence sounds really bad now that I'm saying it out loud."
Bryce stared at him in obliviously. "What's bad about it? At least it was criminals. I mean, I've been gagged by criminals before but the times that I really remember are during my grandfather's training."
They were not getting into Damian's past right now. "I can take care of myself when dealing with criminals. I had a good career going, remember?"
"I remember you disappearing suddenly."
Chuck was surprised at how quickly and bitingly Bryce responded. "You've never asked why I left."
"Why would I? It has nothing to do with me."
Chuck made an agreeing noise while he wondered if someone had explained to Bryce already. Maybe he didn't ask because he already knew?
"Aren't we friends?"
"I don't know. Are we?"
The door banged open and Ellie stood there, looking annoyed. "Holy moly, you two are impossible."
"I thought that was his catchphrase?" Bryce said, trying to distract her.
"If the ring on my finger didn't distract me from the disaster you two are, then you certainly won't by asking irrelevant questions." Ellie held up her hand so that Bryce could see the new engagement ring adorning it.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you. Now, you two. Chuck, when I told you to make sure you said your goodbyes, what were you doing?"
"Huh? I said goodbye."
Ellie stared at him. Chuck squirmed but didn't change his answer. "Then why doesn't Bryce know the circumstances of our leaving?"
"Batman didn't tell him? Look, I told Batman goodbye. And Superman! I said goodbye to everyone I saw at the Justice League headquarters."
"'Goodbye' as in 'I'm leaving forever' or 'Goodbye' as in 'see you tomorrow'?"
Chuck thought about it. Really thought about it for the first time in years. And he came to a chilling realisation. "The second one."
Bryce snickered. Ellie sighed.
"I'm sorry you have to deal with my brother." Then she turned to Chuck. "Does the Justice League know how to get in contact with you in case of emergency?"
"I think we'll know when it's an emergency," Chuck joked. Ellie was not amused. "They do now."
"Good. I think we need to talk about this. After Bryce goes home." She turned back to Bryce. "You're not staying the night. Go home before your family turns up on the doorstep."
"Got it!" Bryce responded.